Safety locking-switch.



D. A. BEEZLBY. SAFETY LOGKING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED FEB. 17, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909.

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D. A. BEEZLEY.

SAFETY LOCKING SWITCH.

APPLICATION FILED $1113.17, 1908.

Patented June 29, 1909. 2 SHEETS-SHEET 2. 7

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UNITED STATES r PATENT OFFICE.

DOLPHYFUS A. BEEZLEY, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI, ASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD 'lOFRANK II. FARRIS, OF ST. LOUIS, MISSOURI.

SAFETY LOCKING-SWITCH.

Specification of Letters Patent.

Patented June 29, 1909.

Application filed February 17, 1908. Serial No. 446,404.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, DOLPI'IYFUS A. BEEZ- LEY, a citizen of the UnitedStates, and resident of the city of St. Louis, in the State of Missouri,have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Safety Locking-Switches, of which the following is a specification containing a full,clear, and exact description, reference being had to the accompanyingdrawings, forming a part thereof.

My invention relates generally to railway switches and more particularlyto switch operating mechanism, and a safety locking means therefor, andthe object of my inven tion is to provide simple means whereby themovable rails of a switch are shifted by an approaching engine so thatthe latter will pass along the main track, and which switch rails areautomatically locked after movement, thus insuring the passage of theengine over the main track rails, which action reduces to a minimum thedanger of the engine running into an open switch.

To the above purpose my invention consists in certain novel features ofconstruction and arrangement of parts as hereinafter described, claimedand shown in the accompanying drawings in which:

Figure 1. is a plan view of a portion of a railway track with myimproved switch arranged therein; Fig. 2. is an enlarged transversesection taken on the line 22 of Fig. 1. Fig. 3. is an enlarged sectiontaken on the line 33 of Fig. 1. Fig. 1. is an enlarged section taken onthe line 4@4 of Fig. 1. Fig. 5. is a side elevation of a springconnection made use of between two sections of a switch shifting bar.Fig. 6. is a detail plan View of a portion of one of the track rails andshowing the locking plate. Fig. 7. is a vertical section taken on theline 77 of Fig. 6. Fig. 8. is a plan view similar to Fig. 6. and showingthe locking plate moved into a locking position. Fig. 9. is aperspective view of a portion of the switch stand used for manuallyoperating the switch rails. Fig. 10. is a detail section showing themeans carried by the engine or car for engaging the switch operatingmechanism.

Referring by numerals to the accompanying drawings 1 designates the maintrack rails, 2 the movable switch rail, 3 the movable switch point ofthe main track which latter is connected to the switch rail 2 by thetransverse bars at. Connecting the movable rails 2 and 3 adjacent theirpoints is a switch bar 5, to one end of which is pivotally connected themain end of a connecting rod 6, made in two parts with the meeting endsoverlapping and arranged to slide on one another by providing loops 7 onthe ends of the two sections, which loops pass around the bodies of thesections. A still spring 8 is arranged on the overlapping parts of therod 6, the ends of which spring are rigidly fixed to the loops 7, (seeFig. 5). The outer end of the outer section of the rod 6 is pivotallymounted on the end of a crank arm 10 formed on the lower end of avertically disposed shaft 11, which is arranged for rotation in a switchstand 12, of ordinary construction, and said shaft 11, is operated by ahinged handle 13, which engages in notches 14, formed in the edge of aplate 15, carried by the stand 12.

16 designates a locking plate which is hinged to the bar 5, immediatelyadj acent the point where said bar passes beneath the main track rail,which is adjacent the switch stand 12, and the rear edge of this plateis slightly inclined lengthwise and rounded in cross section asdesignated by 17. Formed on or fixed to the underside of the plate 16,is a strap 18, which lies parallel with the bar 5, and fitting looselythrough said strap is a finger 19, which is formed integral with andprojects laterally from the inner end of a rock shaft 20, operating inthe bearings 21, and provided on its outer end with a laterallyprojecting pedal 22. This pedal occupies a position immediately in frontof the stand 12, and connecting said pedal and stand is a retractilespring 23.

24 designates a bell crank fulcrumed on a in 25, between the main trackrails 1, and adjacent the bar 5, which pin is fixed in a suitable base26, and supported at its upper end by braces 27, anchored to the ties ortrack rails. Formed in the end of the short arm of this bell crank is aslot 28, through which passes a pin 29, carried by the switch bar 5.Pivotally connected to the end of the long arm of the bell crank is anend of a tube or red 30, which extends a suitable distance away from theswitch, and supporting said tube are rollers 31, arranged in boxes 32,which are fixed to the ties and arranged at suitable distances apart.The end of the tube 30, opposite the end connected to. the bell crankpasses through one end of a tubular housing 33, and fixed on this end ofsaid tube within the housing is a disk 34. Pass ing through the oppositeend of the housing 33, is a tube or rod 35, which is a counterart of thetube or rod 30, and fixed on the end 01' said tube 35, within thehousing 33, is a disk 36. Loosely arranged between the disks 34, and 36,is an expansive coil 37, which is weaker or of less resistance than thespring 9. The tube 35 is in direct alinement with the tube 30, andpivotally connected to the end of said tube 35, opposite the endprovided with the disk 36, is the short arm of a bell crank 38,fulcrumed 011 a pin 39, fixed in a suitable base 40 and held at itsupper end by braces 41, anchored to the ties or track rails. The longarm of this bell crank 38, is elevated relative to the short arm and theouter end of said long arm being rounded off as designated by 42.

The means carried by the engine or car for actuating the switch throwingmechanism just described is shown in Fig. 10, and comprises a hand lever43, located so as to be readily grasped by the engineer and pivotallyconnected to said lever is the upper end of a rod 44, operating througha housing 45, and said rod being normally drawn down by a retractilecoil spring 46, connected at one end.

to the bearing and at the opposite end to the rod. Hinged to the lowerend of the rod 44, in such a manner as to swing forward and upward is acontact finger 47, which as the engine moves toward the switch, engagesagainst the long arm of the bell crank 38.

The operation is as follows; Assuming that the switch and switchoperating mechanisms are in the positions seen in Fig. 1, and that anengine approaching the switch is operating on the main line thefingercarried on the engine 47, will contact with the elevated long armof the bell crank 38, thus shifting same on its pivot, which movementmoves the tubes 35 and 30, lengthwise toward the switch. The shock andjar of this contact and movement, are materially reduced by the yieldingresistance offered by the spring 37. The movement of the tube 30 swingsthe bell crank 24, on its pivot, and by reason of the pin and slotconnection 29, and 28, the bar 5, is shifted toward the switch stand,thus shifting the rails 2, and 3, so as to close the switch and open themain line. As the bar 5, is shifted the inner part of the rod 6, islikewise moved toward the switch stand, and as the outer part of saidrod is held against movement by its connection with the shaft 11, whichis held locked by the handle 13, the result will be the expansion of thespring 8, thereby storing power therein. The locking plate 16, carriedby the bar 5, will be withdrawn from its position beneath the track rail1 which movement is possible owing to the sliding connections betweenthe plates 16, and the finger 19, on the end of the shaft 29, and assoon as the said plate is free from the rail it will be swung into avertical position as shown by dotted lines in 7, owing to the rotractileaction of the spring 23, which rocks the shaft 20, and causes the finger19, to bear against the under side of the plate 16. i/Vhen the plate 16,is thus swung upward its beveled and rounded rear edge bears against theedge of the track rail thus locking the switch rails in their closedpositions and leaving the main track open.

To open the switch after the operation just described has taken place,the pedal 22, is depressed, which movement swings the plate 16 downwardinto a horizontal position beneath the track rails 1, and the spring 9,which was previously expanded will now contract thus shifting the switchrails into open position and causing the various parts to return totheir normal positions when the switch is in proper position to receivean approaching engine, the engineer elevates the finger 47, by engagingand lifting the hand lever 43, and thus the bell crank 38 will not beengaged. The end of the bell crank 38, is rounded oil? in order that thefinger 47, will readily ride over the bell crank when the engine isbacking.

A switch of my improved construction is simple, easily installed,positive in action, and operates and locks automatically when the bellcrank 38, is engaged by the contact finger carried by an approachingengine.

I claim 1. The combination with movable switch rails, and a switchstand, of a flexible switch bar connecting the rails and stand, meansada ted to be engaged by an approaching car ior shifting the switch bar,and a locking plate carried by the switch bar for engaging one of thetrack rails to hold the switch rails looked after movement.

2. The combination with movable switch rails, and a switch stand of aflexible switch bar connecting the rails and stand means adapted to beengaged by an approaching car for shifting the switch bar, a lockingplate carried by the switch bar for engaging one of the track rails tohold the switch rails looked after movement, and means connected to thelocking plate for disengaging the same from the track rail.

3. In a switch operating mechanism of the class described; thecombination with movable switch rails and a switch stand of a flexiblebar connecting the rails and stand, a retractile coil spring arrangedbetween two portions of the flexible bar, and a locking plate hinged tothe flexible bar and adapted to engage against one of the track rails.

4. In a switch operating mechanism of the class described, thecombination with the movable switch rails and a switch stand or" aflexible bar connecting the rails and stand, a

926,459 retractile coil spring arranged between two name to thisspecification in the presence of fiortions of the flexible bar, itloekin plate two subscribing witnesses.

inged t0 the flexible bar and adapteef to engage a 'einst one of thetrack rails, and means DOL1 HYB Us BBELLLY' 5 locatel in front of theswitch for imparting l/Vitnesses:

movement to the flexible bar. J. T. WILLEY,

In testimony whereof I have signed my S. HOLLAND.

